NTSB CHAIRMAN ENCOURAGES BOATING SAFETY DURING SAFE BOATING WEEK

[NTSB Press Releases <NTSBPressReleases@xxxxxxxx>]

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                      NTSB PRESS RELEASE
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National Transportation Safety Board
Washington, DC 20594

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 16, 2008
SB-08-21

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NTSB CHAIRMAN ENCOURAGES BOATING SAFETY DURING SAFE BOATING 
WEEK

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Washington, D.C. - With National Safe Boating week beginning 
Saturday, NTSB Chairman Mark V. Rosenker reminded boaters of 
the importance of using good judgment by wearing personal 
flotation devices at all time while on the water. 

	"I urge all boat operators and passengers to wear 
their life jackets when sailing or boating this summer," 
said Chairman Rosenker.  "As stated in the theme of this 
year's campaign, 'Wear It!' a life jacket may save you and 
your passengers lives."

	Since 1993 the NTSB has been warning that all children 
under age 13 (or 12 and under) should be required to wear 
life jackets.   This campaign further underscores that 
message. The United States Coast Guard indicates that over a 
ten-year period the life jacket wear rate for children has 
increased from 81% to 92% (ages 0-5) and 69% to 84% (ages 6-
12).    

	Chairman Rosenker said, " I am gratified that 48 
states now require life jacket wear by children.  I hope 
that Wisconsin and Virginia will take action soon to provide 
the children in their states equal protection to every other 
state in the country."  On May 10, 2008, the Governor of 
Iowa signed into law a life jacket requirement for children 
(ages 12 and under).  Wisconsin and Virginia are the only 2 
states that have not taken such action.

	National Safe Boating Week is from May 17 to May 23.  
The North American Safe Boating Campaign begun in 1957 by 
the National Safe Boating Council aims at spreading a 
message of boating safety, encouraging boater education, and 
helping to save lives.  The Campaign has evolved into a 
targeted media effort stretching across the United States 
and into Canada.  

	It is clear that life jacket wear will save many more 
lives if persons age 13 or older would wear their life 
jackets.  Sadly, the clear majority of recreational boating 
deaths involve drowning (474 out of 710 deaths in 2006), and 
over 89% of drowning victims were not reported to have been 
wearing life jackets. 

-30-

NTSB Media Contact:  Keith Holloway, (202) 314-6100

	







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